Computer networks may include one or more digital security monitors or sensors that automatically analyze traffic on the network to identify potentially suspicious activity. The sensors may be implemented in either software or hardware. Monitors may focus on security monitoring and/or on fault analysis.
Upon detecting suspicious activity, the sensors typically generate some kind of digital alert message or signal, and attempt to bring that message to the attention of network I/S managers whose responsibility it is to respond and react in an appropriate defensive manner against hostile digital attacks or to recover quickly from catastrophic failures.